Finally!!! Thomas Brooks Bible 9/12/07 8:28 a.m. 9 lb., 5 oz. 22 inches

Well, it all started on Tuesday, the 11th. I had gone to the doctor Monday afternoon and had not changed at all. I had contractions all weekend and had gone shopping everyday with my mom for hours on end! We thought surely something would have made some progress. After the doctor left the room, I cried. I do not cry easily but her news of "no news" was such a disappointment to me, I could not hold it all in any longer. After leaving the Dr. office, I decided that I would no longer have a "wish" for how this baby would come. After all, why was I fighting the almighty God, who knew how and when my baby would come. His will is perfect and regardless of what I wanted, what He wanted was better! So, I stopped hoping and analyzing every twinge and pain I had. If this baby was late, then he would be late according to God's purpose and I had to make peace with that! Anyhoo, mom and I went shopping AGAIN on Tuesday (after I begged her to stay and wait for this baby with me!) at Crabtree Mall. It was nice to be out and have no anticipation of what "might" happen. We all met John for dinner at Arby's that night since he had a long break in between lessons at the music academy. My water broke while I was washing my hands in the bathroom. I always thought that I would jump for joy at this wonderful, natural (so they say) feeling, but needless to say, it had a very geriatric feeling to it. Not even crossing my legs while standing still could make it stop!

So, two hours later I am Rex hospital with no pain, no contractions. Just water spilling everywhere. It became hilarious when I tried to tell my nurse that water would be all over the floor if she didn't give me something to help absorb it all (I am trying to be vague here for all the guys sake!). She ignored me so she ended up cleaning the large puddle of amniotic fluid that was all over the floor! I was given pitocin (VERY BAD DRUG~fight your doctor on this one if you can) at midnight bc I was not contracting at all! Two hours later they became painful and I used a releasing method that I had learned from Dr. Sears' book, "The Birth Book". I highly recommend this book. It is reader friendly and does not have a bunch of medical jargon in it. I wished I had it six years ago! I got stuck in the spine twice for my epidural (why fight medical induced contractions?) at 6 a.m.. Nothing like a needle scraping against your back bone TWICE!! At 8:28 a.m. and four pushed later, my sweet pookie bear was born. He is a spitting image of his big brother and father. I was very surprised that he was so big since I had only gained 15 lbs. Yes, I am very proud to say that :0) We all love him to death and the siblings are great with him!